With the advent of the increased interest in the game of poker, each establishment is making efforts to customize their playing environment and also is trying to create recognizable tokens developing brand identities and eliminating cross-over play. Currently, poker chips are usually ink-stamped using offset or pad printing techniques creating a permanent ink onto the face of the poker chip. This creates a lasting impression which is not modifiable. It is also an inexpensive process to create the plates and artwork for each different impression type. Multiple printing plates are required for different colors and pictures appear grainy.
The game of poker has also become a game played at homes and parties and people are interested in designing their own chip designs but are not able to afford the expensive pad printing option. People are using poker chips at social events and as invitation greeting, adding intrigue to a party invitations. Customizing these chip would add to their value, usefulness and will lead to increased sales.
With the advent of better printer technologies and label stock that is suited for the new printers, people are able to create graphic labels containing pictures that are clearer and brighter than previously available. It is the application of these labels onto the poker chip where the problem lies. If the graphic is not perfectly centered on the first application, the label is hard to remove and will cause damage to the poker chip and the label itself. This is also a laborious process taking much time and effort. There is a need to be able to quickly apply labels to objects such as poker chips where the concentricity of the label to the outside diameter object is critical. This device and method can be used for round or polygonal objects depending upon the shape of the receiving portion of the device.
There are currently no devices on the market that allows for perfect placement, as this device takes advantage of human factors and aids users by using naturally based motions commonly used, so the learning curve is minimal. There is prior art based on labeling compact disks and DVD disks but all such applications use the hole in the center of the disk for centering and a custom label with the similarly shaped and located hole in order to locate the label over the disk. Fixtures are large and bulky and are generally not considered hand held. Presently existing prior art is also not focused on the need to perform the application of labels to both sides of a circular object without having first to re-orient that object prior to the application of the label. This invention allows for a single placement of the object into the device where labels can be applied to alternate sides without removing the object from the device.